Greetings, my sisters.
Today I want to share the story of a "nobody"
missionary who quietly served God in a remote place. Egerton Young ministered
to the Cree and Saulteaux Indians in the frozen wilderness of Canada. His book,
titled "By Canoe and Dog Train," reflects the reality of the only
available means of transportation - canoe in the summertime and dog sled in the
wintertime. This young, newlywed pastor faced opposition when he was called in
1868 to leave his flourishing church, but he was convinced of God's guidance.
Young's life was often in danger, rarely from savage
natives, but sometimes from animal attacks, and frequently from the brutal
conditions of his life and travel. The author himself states, "To fulfill [missionary]
work, some of the greatest hardships and suffering have been endured, and some
of the grandest trophies have been won." His hardships included the
challenges of travel to various Indian groups, time away from his family, poor
diet and living conditions, and even the loss of one of his babies due to the
brutal conditions.
Young also saw great rewards. God used Him greatly to reach
remote tribes, bring them to the knowledge of salvation, and teach them how to
live according to the Bible. I share three examples of the evidence of changed
lives.
The first deals with an Indian custom of "having a
great feast at the beginning of the New Year." The Christian Indians
turned this into a great display of Christian love and fellowship. Various
types of food were gathered for weeks beforehand, and the men planned and
pledged to make sure there was enough. "When the great day arrived, the
men quickly removed the seats out of the church and put up long tables. Great
boilers of tea were made ready, and every preparation was completed for a good
time. But, before a mouthful was eaten by any of the eight hundred or thousand
persons present, the chief asked me for a pencil and a piece of writing paper.
Then, standing on a box or bench, he would shout out, 'How many of our people
are aged or sick or afflicted and cannot be with us today?' As one name after
another was mentioned, he rapidly wrote them down. ... When it was certain that
none had been overlooked, they asked me for all the old newspapers and packing
paper I could give them. Soon loving hands were busily engaged in cutting off
large pieces of different kinds of meat and arranging them with the large flat
cakes in generous bundles. ... Large bundles containing an assortment of
everything at the feast would be made for all the names on the paper. Then the
chief would call the young men ... as many of the fleet runners as there were
bundles, gave each his load, and indicated the person to whom he was to give
it. Then he would add, 'Give them our New Year's greetings and sympathy and
tell them we are sorry they cannot be with us today.' ... Here, before a
mouthful was eaten by the healthy and vigorous ones, large generous bundles
that would last for days were sent off to the aged, infirm, and wounded
ones."
The second took place during a church service with the
Indians. "I was very astounded one day by the entrance of an old Indian
called Tapastanum. Rattling his ornaments and crying, 'Ho! Ho!' he trotted into
the church and gravely kissed several of the men and women. As the Christian
Indians seemed to tolerate the interruption, I felt that I could. At the
invitation of Big Tom, he sat down and listened to me. He was grotesquely
dressed and had a good-sized looking glass hanging on his breast, kept in its
place by a string hung around his neck. To help him listen, he lit his big pipe
and smoked through the rest of the service. I spoke to the people afterwards
about the conduct of this man, which was so opposite to their quiet, respectful
demeanor in the house of God. Their expressive, charitable answer was, 'Such
were we once, as ignorant as Tapastanum is now. Let us have patience with him,
and perhaps he, too, will soon decide to give his heart to God. Let him come;
he will get quiet when he gets the light.'"
The third had to do with the treaties the Indians were
compelled to make with the government. Each group was to elect a "chief to
represent them in making a treaty and discussing difficulties if they
arose." Being chosen was a great honor, involving money and presents and a
silver medal to wear, as well as interacting with important people. "After
many councils, the people came to the almost unanimous conclusion that Big Tom
should be their chief. ... Instead of seizing the proffered honors with
enthusiasm, his face became very grave." He asked for a day to think it
over. The next morning, Big Tom spoke: "'Long ago, when the missionaries
came and preached to us, for a time we refused to listen to them. ... When I
got the assurance in my heart that I was a child of God and had a soul that
should live forever, I found that in working out its salvation I had something
great to live for. To do this was the great object of my life. By and by, I
married, and as my family increased and grew around me, I found I had another
object for which to live. To help them along in the way to heaven, as well as
to work for their comfort here, was my second great work. After a while, the
missionary gave me the charge of a class. I was to meet with them, and we were
to talk together about our souls and God's love to us and do all we could to
help each other to the better land. To do my duty as the leader was a great and
important work. While attending to these duties, I found I had another object
for which to live. ... I am thankful for your confidence in asking me to be
your chief. I know it is a great honor, but I see it will have many
responsibilities. Whoever has the position will have to attend to many other
things than those which I have my mind set upon. So you must appoint someone
else, for I cannot let anything else interfere with those three things.'"
This is what it is all about - seeing the Word of God
transform lives - creating love and charity instead of selfishness, humbly showing
compassion to those who do not yet know the truth, and establishing godly
priorities that focus the life. May God help you this week to that same end,
even if you are also serving in a small place and largely unknown.
Love in Christ,
Peggy Holt
member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA
www.pressingontohigherground.blogspot.com
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